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DAMS OIL 


By 

CHARLES GODFREY LELAND, 1. A, etc. 

AND 

THOMAS B0LA8, F. C. 8., F. I. C. 

Showing absolute Beginners 
how to prepare and apply 
successfully Dyes, Stains, 
Inks, Lacquers, Varnishes 
and Polishes, especially for 
Decorative Work. With 
many Practical Illustrations 
in the Text; and Six Plates. 

Being the second of a Series 
of Books on the 

USEFUL-ARTS 

-AND HANDICRAFTS 

Edited by 

F. DUNDAS TODD. 
Chicago: 

THE PHOTO-BEACON CO., 
Tribune Building. 

London: 

DAWBARN AND WARD, LTD. 


Entered at the Poatojfftc ■> at Chicago at 
Second-claim Mail Matter. 


Copyright, 18W, by F. DUNDAS TODD 


HIES, SUIIS. I 





December 7, 1899. 





















8*00KD QOPY, 



‘ ‘ There is no art whatever which is not easy to any person 
of ordinary capacity who will ‘ go the right way to work. * 
This right way is to perfectly master the first easy lesson. If 
the first lesson is thoroughly learnt, the second will invariably 
prove easier than the first.” 

5o774 Charles Godfrey Teland. 


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TRIBUNE BUILDING, CHICAGO. 







Nothing useless is, or low; 

Each thing in its place is best ; 
And what seems but idle show 
Strengthens and supports the rest. 


In the elder days of Art, 

Builders wrought with greatest care 
Each minute and unseen part; 

For the Gods see everywhere. 
Longfellow — The Builders. 


Useful Arts and handicrafts 

Instructions for beautifying the Home and for preparing an immense variety 
of Useful, Decorative, and Profitable Articles by simple processes, some 
of which have never before been published. 

One of the books will be published each week. Each will be complete 

in itself. 

Designs and Working Drawings will be a special feature of this 
series. They will include a great number of Original Designs by C. G. 
Leland, W. T. Whitehead, Charles E. Dawson, and others, in addition 
to many reproductions of classic examples in public museums and private 
collections. 


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES. 

This series of Essays was planned by Mr. Charles Godfrey Leland, 
M.A., F.R.L.S., founder of the Public Industrial Art School of Philadelphia, 
author of twenty-three books on the Minor Arts, etc., for publication in one 
large volume, to be called “One Hundred Minor Arts.” The publishers 
have thought, however, that the widest publicity will be obtained by issuing 
them in the form of a series of small hand-books, especially in view of the 
author’s desire to make his work accessible to students and to poor people 
who can hardly afford a large book. 

This breaking of the work into separate sections has made it easier to 
add to the matter supplied by the original author, and to include many 
extra illustrations, designs, etc. It has provided for the introduction of a 
few additional treatises, such as “Soldering, Brazing, and Joining of 
Metals,” “Dyes, Stains, Inks, Lacquers, Varnishes, and Polishes,” and 
others which will be added from time to time, and which will be the subjects 
of constant reference from the other books. It also leaves the series elastic 
for the introduction of other kindred subjects. 

The Editor is anxious to receive hints and suggestions from his readers, 
with a view to making the work as complete and as useful as possible. He 
will also be pleased to reply to queries from those correspondents who will 
write on one side of the paper only, and have the courtesy to enclose 
stamped envelope for reply. Communications should be addressed to the 
Editor, care of the Publishers. 


1 







List of Subjects and Authors. 

(See List of Principal Contributors on Front Cover.) 

Additions and alterations will be made from time to time, but 
this list gives an idea of the scope and catholicity of the series; 
and of its value as an encyclopedia of the minor arts and handi= 
crafts. _ 

Introduction : Design and Drawing. C. G. Leland. Ready 
Nov. jo. 

Wood Carving. C. G. Leland. Ready Dec. 7. 

Picture Frames : Making and Decorating. Leland and Bolas. 
Ready Dec. 14. 

Gilding and Gold Paint Making. Leland and Bolas. 

Dyes, Stains, Inks, Lacquers, Varnishes, and Polishes. Leland 
and Bolas. 

Decorated Woodwork ; by carving, coloring, and wire inlaying. 
Leland and Dawson. 

Gouge Work and Indented Woodwork. C. G. Leland. 

Wood Engraving and Placard Cutting. C. G. Leland. 

Poker Work, or Pyrography. On wood, fabrics, etc. Bolas and 
Leland. 

Artificial Wood ; and Shavings in Decoration. C. G. Leland. 
Venetian Marquetry and Inlaying. C. G. Leland. 

Wood Turning, with Home-made Lathes. J. J. Holtzapffel. 
Glueing, Cementing, and Pasting. Thomas Bolas. 

Tools : Their Use, and Home Manufacture. Bolas and Leland: 

Fret-cutting and Stenciling. Theorems in Water-color. C. G. 
Leland. 

Sheet Metal Work. Repousse, Chasing, etc. Leland and Daw¬ 
son. 

Soldering, Brazing, and the Joining of Metals. Thomas Bolas. 
Bent Iron Work. Leland and Bolas. 

Drill Work on Metal. Nail and Scale Work. C. G. Leland. 
Etching on Metals : Niello and Inlaying. Leland and Bolas. 


11 

















































Plate VII.] [ Useful Arts and Handicrafts , No. 2. 



Four designs for mordant or discharge printing. 

[In these and most of the other designs great variation is obtainable by 
the rearrangement of the simple stamps. 




















Useful Arts Series , No. 2. 


f 


0 


3 


6 




V 


DYES, STAINS, INKS, LACQUERS, 
VARNISHES, AND POLISHES: 

HOW TO MAKE AND USE THEM. 

\ 

By T. BOLAS, F.C.S., F.I.C. 

PART I.—INKS AND STAINS. 


JE INK, in the old-world sense of the 
term, was a stain which penetrated, or 
burned itself into, the papyrus or the 
parchment, hence we get the name ink 
(encaustum, inchiostro, ink). The 

king of inks in the old days was the 
purple liquid of the murex, none but 
royal personages being allowed to 
write with it. Another true or pene¬ 
trating ink of the old days was the 
black liquid of the cuttle-fish. The 

purple liquid of the murex is now of 
no commercial or industrial interest, as 
only about one drop is obtained from each shell-fish, but the black 
liquid of the cuttle-fish is used in manufacturing the sepia paint of 
the water-color artist. 



( 2 ) 


25 


ON 























2 


Water Stains and Trite or “ Encaustic ” Writing Inks differ by 

the fact that an ink for ordinary writing should contain about one- 

• 

third ounce of gum to each pint, the object of this being to make 
it sufficiently viscous to flow but slowly from the pen and to hinder 
a too rapid lateral spread on the paper. The water stain is gener¬ 
ally best without the addition of gum, but in the case of very soft 
wood, the gum is often an advantage as lessening the tendency to 
soak in, while if the same water stain is to be used on the flat of the 
grain, and on the end-grain of a wooden article, that used on the 
end-grain should ordinarily have a little gum with it. As regards 
the application of stains to wood, see another section (page n). 

In the following formulae an amount of gum will generally be 
indicated which will convert the water stain into an ink suitable for 
the average writing-paper of the present day. For hard papers and 
pens with many irregularities for inkholding, less gum will serve 
(or even in extreme cases none whatever may be required), while 
the use of soft papers and very plain pens necessitates a larger 
proportion of gum. 

No. i. Ordinary Nutgall and Iron Ink. — One formula for this 
is sufficient, the following, due to Professor Brande, being highly 
satisfactory : Sound Aleppo gallnuts, crushed but not powdered, 
6 y 2 ounces ; soft water, 6 pints ; heat to the boiling point, and add 
3% ounces of ferrous sulphate (green vitriol) and 3% ounces of 
gum arabic. When cold, put the whole in a bottle and shake 
occasionally. It will be ready for use in a few weeks if strained off 
from the dregs (for straining device see page 13). All the materials 
may be placed together in a bottle and allowed to digest without 
the application of heat. For modern papers the gum may be 
reduced to 2 ounces ; or if the ink is for use with stylographic pens, 
to 1 x /z ounces. 

26 


3 


Preservatives for the above and for other inks. 

Inks containing organic matter require the addition of an 
antiseptic (unless some constituent of the ink acts as such). Five 
drops of true creosote, or 15 drops of phenol (carbolic acid) to the 
pint of ink will prove satisfactory. One-fourth 01 an ounce of 
cloves, crushed and allowed to macerate with the materials of the 



Fig. 1. 


inks, is also satisfactory. If smell is objected to, 20 to 30 grains 
of salicylic acid may be added to each pint. 

A Macerating Device .— In making ordinary black ink, and in 
some other cases in which vegetable products are concerned, the 
materials are placed in a bottle, which should be frequently shaken. 

27 







































4 


A convenient way of doing this is to lay the bottle in a kind of 
cradle attached to a door which is in frequent use. Generally 
speaking, the cradle is best placed high up near the opening edge 
of the door, and as against breakage by slamming a thick lining of 
flannel is useful. Fig. i sufficiently illustrates the nature of the 
device, which, by-the-by, is also useful in varnish-making. 

No. 2. Range s Chrome Logwood Black Ink or Stain .— As an 
ink for ordinary use this is not to be recommended, as it is subject 
to decomposition when kept for a long time, but as a cheap and 
permanent black stain it is useful. Extract of logwood y 2 an ounce 
is dissolved in 20 fluid ounces of boiling water, when 60 grains of 
crystallized carbonate of sodium (washing soda) is dissolved in the 
liquid ; now strain off (see page 13) and stir in 15 grains of neutral 
(yellow) chromate of potassium dissolved in 4 ounces of water. 
An addition of gum may be made if required. If good extract of 
logwood can not be obtained, y pound of logwood chips may be 
boiled in about 2 y 2 pints of water for a few minutes ; when cold, 
the decoction, which should measure about 2^ pints, should be 
poured off and strained ; 60 grains of crystallized sodium carbonate 
(washing soda) should be added ; and 15 grains of neutral (or 
yellow) chromate of potassium dissolved in y ounce of water, is 
added slowly with constant stirring ; gum may be added if neces¬ 
sary (see pages 2 and 3). 

No. 3. Logwood Copying Ink {Black ).— Inks of this class 
should be made with alcoholic extract of logwood, which is now an 
article of commerce. The following keeps fairly well : One ounce 
of alcoholic extract of logwood ; water, 8 fluid ounces ; when 

V 

dissolved,, grind in y ounce crystallized carbonate of sodium 
(washing soda); strain and stir in the following, adding but little at 
a time : Water, 1 fluid ounce ; gum arabic, y ounce ; neutral (or 
28 


6 


should dry after each application. The number of applications is 
regulated by the intensity of color required. It is best to begin 
with the iron solution and finish with the galls. Any scum or 
deposit should be wiped off while the article is wet. The full color 
requires time to develop, and the work will be a little cleaner as 
regards scum if two ounces of common vinegar is added to each 
pint of the iron solution. On soft woods this process, if patiently 
carried through, gives the best of blacks, but for hardwood the 
following is sometimes to be preferred : 

No. 8. Sniphuric-Acid Reaction ( Black ), as stain for wood, or 
as sympathetic ink.— One fluid ounce of strong sulphuric acid is 
mixed with 16 fluid ounces of water; but those not accustomed to 
handling of corrosive liquids should obtain this mixture from a 
pharmacist. Indeed, those merely practicing household arts should 
avoid this stain altogether, as if even the dilute acid comes in con¬ 
tact with textiles it will cause them ultimately to fall to pieces. If 
wood is uniformly wetted with the above-mentioned dilute sul¬ 
phuric acid and then held before a clear fire so as to dry off the 
water, the acid as it concentrates will char the wood on the surface 
and give an intense and absolutely permanent black. A second 
and even third treatment may be necessary, and in the end the 
article should be rinsed to remove traces of acid. To make a 
sympathetic ink, the above weak acid should be diluted with its 
own bulk of water, and 30 grains of white sugar must be added to 
each fluid ounce of the liquid. Writing with this (quill pen or 
glass pen) on white paper is invisible, but becomes black if the 
sheet is held before a clear fire until the acid is sufficiently concen¬ 
trated. The paper is always more or less weakened where the 
acid has acted. 

No. 9. Catechu ( Brown ) Ink or Stain .— A simple solution of 


30 


5 


yellow) chromate of potassium, 5 grains. This is not an ideal ink 
to write with, as it clogs the pen in partially drying, but it copies 
well. 

No. 4. Ferrous Ink ( Black ).— Sometimes called “ alizarine ” 
ink. This is an iron and nutgall ink, in which the iron is mainly 
in the ferrous state,- consequently the ink is almost colorless, but 
the writing soon becomes black by the absorption of oxygen from 
the air. Inks of this class flow readily from the pen, and they J 

are ordinarily somewhat tinted so that the writing shall be suffi¬ 
ciently visible before the true black appears. 

To the ingredients of No. 1, when in the bottle, add y 2 ounce 
carmine of indigo, 3 ounces of glacial acetic acid, and ]/ 2 ounce of J 
fine iron wire. Cork tightly, and macerate with frequent agitation, 
as directed in the case of No. 1. 

No. 5. Iron Copying Ink (Black ).— No. 4 is made of double 
strength, and 1 ounce of soft brown sugar is added to each 10 
ounces of the finished ink. 

No. 6. Nigrosine Ink (Black), Noncopying and Copying. —The 
coal-tar color sold as nigrosine dissolves in water and gives an 
excellent ink which appears to be at least as permanent as the iron 
inks. Simple Stain: nigrosine 1 ounce, water 35 ounces; shake 
in a bottle until dissolved. Writing Ink: add 2 ounces of gum. 
Copying Ink: make a further addition of 3)4 ounces of soft brown 
sugar. 

No. 7. Ink Stain (Black) by Alternate Application. — This is 
specially suitable for producing an intense black on wood. Treat 
the article as explained on page 9, but alternately with a solution 
of protosulphate of iron (green vitriol), 1 y ounces to the pint, 
and with a decoction of galls made by simmering 2 y 2 ounces of 
well-crushed galls in a pint of water for half an hour. The article 


2 9 


7 


catechu in water, about 40 grains to the ounce. Boiling is some¬ 
times necessary, but when used as ink no gum is required. 

No. 10. Carmine (Red) Ink or Stain. — Among the bright or 
scarlet reds this is perhaps the most beautiful, but it is not very 
permanent as against long exposure to light. Carmine 20 grains, 
strong liquid ammonia y 2 ounce; shake together in a bottle, and 
when dissolved make up to 2 ounces with water. As an ink, add 
30 grains of gum. 

No. 11. Madder (Red) Ink or Stain. —This has a more purple 
tint than No. 10, but is permanent against light. Artificial alizar¬ 
ine 40 grains, or 10 per cent alizarine “ paste ” 400 grains; put in 
a bottle and make up to 3 fluid ounces. Add y 2 ounce of strong 
liquid ammonia, and agitate until solution is complete (solution 
will be instantaneous if the ‘ ‘ paste ’ ’ is used, but may be slow if 
the dry alizarine is employed), then add a solution of 10 grains of 
alum dissolved in y 2 ounce of water. If as an ink, add about 10 
grains of gum to the ounce. The keeping of the alizarine and 
alumina in solution depends on the use of a considerable excess 
of ammonia, and this excess must not be allowed to escape by 
leaving the ink-bottle uncorked. For true dyeing with alizarine, 
see page 15. 

No. 12. The Old-Fashioned Brazil Wood (Red) Ink or Stain .— 
This has a peculiar and characteristic brilliancy. Brazil-wood 
chips 4 ounces, alum y 2 ounce, water 25 fluid ounces; simmer for 
half an hour in an enameled saucepan; add 2 ounces glacial acetic 
acid; when cold, strain. As ink, 20 grains of gum to the ounce. 

No. 13. Eosine (Red) Inks or Stains. — Most red inks now 
sold are obtained by adding soluble eosine-red to water, a strength 
of ten grains to the ounce being about the average; gum and pre¬ 
servative as may be required. 


3i 


8 


No. 14. Yellow Stains or Inks. —One and one-half to 2 ounces 
of turmeric boiled in 20 ounces of water gives a cheap yellow 
stain, but a much finer color, tending to orange, is obtained with 
about one-sixth the quantity of saffron; gum and preservatives as 
required. Martius’ yellow and the soluble aniline yellows dis¬ 
solved in water give cheap and, in some respects, convenient yel¬ 
low stains. 

No. 15. Sap Green Stain or Ink. — The soft extract of buck¬ 
thorn berries, sold as sap green, is dissolved in water, 40 grains 
being used for each ounce of water. This makes a convenient 
ink, no gum being required, and it is also a good stain for the 
softer woods. 

No. 16. Copper Green Stain or Ink. — Acetate of copper 2 
ounces, cream of tartar ]/ 2 ounce, glacial acetic acid y 2 ounce; 
macerate in the shaking-bottle until nearly the whole is dissolved; 
especially useful as a stain for hardwoods and ivory. 

No. 17. Aniline Green Stains and Inks. — Made with commer¬ 
cial soluble colors; see Nos. 13 and 14. 

No. 18. Blue Stams and Inks. — Three ounces of sulphate of 
indigo with a gallon of water will be sufficiently colored to serve 
as a stain or ink, but in the latter case gum and preservative will be * 
required. This indigo stain is quite permanent against light, but 
cheaper and less permanent blue stains may be made with the 
commercial aniline colors. 

No. 19. Cudbear Violet Stain or Ink. — Cudbear 1 ounce, car¬ 
bonate of potassium i l /2 ounces, hot water 20 ounces. Mix. 
When to be used as ink, add y 2 ounce of gum and 1 ounce of 
alcohol. 


32 



Plate VIII.] 


[ Useful Arts and Handicrafts , No. 2. 



Designs for mordant or discharge printing. 































9 


HOW TO USE WATER STAINS. 

If a highly colored water stain is applied to an article of soft 
wood, there is considerable risk of unequal and patchy coloring if 
the stain is applied to the dry wood with a brush, as absorption is 
then very rapid. Three courses are open for obtaining uniform 
coloring, i. To apply the stain a little at a time with a sponge 


Fig. 2. 

/ • r * 

which is only slightly charged with the stain ; this being perhaps 
the most convenient when completely unobstructed access can be 
had to all parts, as. for example, in staining the outside of a plain 
box. 2. The stain is applied by spraying, this method being 
especially useful in the case of intricate work. A spray-producer 
suitable for the present purpose can be obtained from any dealer in 



33 















IO 


toilet requisites, and one should be selected with quite a fine spray. 
A mechanical blower of some kind should be used with the spray 
producer, as, if the mouth is used, it is not easy to watch the effect. 
The bottle shown on page 9 has a small metal compression-pump 
attached and is a very convenient form, as the bottle can be held 
in one hand while a single finger works the pump, the other hand 
being free to move or adjust the work. Another, but less conven¬ 
ient, air-compressor is the india-rubber bellows, also shown on the 
same illustration. 3. The stain is applied by free brushing ; almost 
mopping. When a piece of woodwork is very complex this is often 
the best way, but a preliminary moistening by spraying or other¬ 
wise is sometimes desirable to control unequal action. When the 
stain is freely brushed on, the work should be held over a tray or 
dish. Speaking generally, articles of woodwork are less damaged 
by a thorough wetting than by a partial wetting, and if a free cir¬ 
culation of air is provided for, water dries off very quickly ; 
obviously staining should be done before any metal articles or 
textiles are attached to the wood. On page 2 will be found a note 
as to the use of gum, and especially as to its use in preventing a 
too free absorption of stain by the end-grain of the wood. 

Ivory, like other hard materials of a similar character, is stained 
by soaking. 

Preparation of the Stained Wood for Finishmg .— The fiber will 
always be more or less brought up by staining, and level work may 
be finished off when quite dry with the finest glass paper, and 
details may be treated by suitable slips of wood to which fine glass- 
paper is glued. Brick-dust and pumice powder applied with a stiff 
brush are also useful in finishing woodwork. For a plain oil finish 
no filling in is required, and in rubbing in the first dose of oil many 
persons would add a little fine pumice (see page 22). When the 


34 


11 

work is to be varnished it is usual to size the wood at this stage, 
for which purpose it is sized with glue so thin as to set very 
slowly ; this having been well brushed into all interstices, all excess 
is wiped off with a soft cloth. When once more dry a final smooth¬ 
ing may be given with the finest pumice powder and a stiff brush. 
It is now ready for varnishing, and instructions for this will be 
found on page 18. 

SPIRITUOUS STAINS FOR WOOD. 

Although water stains such as those above described are on the 
whole to be preferred for wood, there are a few cases in which a 
staining material dissolved in alcohol or oil of turpentine is desir¬ 
able ; as, for example, if the tint of a finely figured wood like pitch 
pine, bird’s-eye maple, oak or beech is to be darkened. In such 
cases the surface transparency of the wood is better maintained by 
the use of spirituous stains, and especially if oil of turpentine is the 
solvent. The various qualities of bitumen, dissolved in oil of tur¬ 
pentine, will give nearly all the shades required for this class of 
work, but for somewhat brighter effects tinctures of turmeric or 
dragon’s-blood in alcohol may be used. The above preparations 
may be conveniently made in the macerating bottle, and when the 
turpentine or spirit is sufficiently colored the bottle should be 
allowed to stand upright for an hour or so, when the upper 
portion is poured off into a paper filter through which it will 
run quite clear. 

Filtering. — To get the finer tinctures, stains and lacquers into 
the brightest and clearest condition the paper filter is almost indis¬ 
pensable. We therefore give the following description of its 
arrangement and use. 


35 


In Fig. 3, A is a glass funnel standing in the neck oi a bottle, 
B ; but to prevent the locking in of the air a short piece of string 
is placed as shown between the bottle and the funnel. T he filter¬ 
ing material is soft unsized paper ; either the white blotting paper 
sold at the stationers’ stores or a somewhat similar paper made and 



sold specially for filtering. Let a, b , a\ b\ be a square of the 
filtering paper. Fold the corner a' over the corner a, then the 
corner b' over the corner b , and finally cut round the dotted 
quarter-circle with the scissors, when the paper can be opened 
out into a kind of conical cup as shown at C. This conical cup 
being placed in the funnel, some of the liquid to be filtered is 
poured in gently, and as the liquid runs through clear, more is 
added. In using a paper filter it is necessary to be careful not to 

36 













































































































[ Useful Arts and Handicrafts , No. 2. 



I wo designs, and borders. The five black spaces show outlines of the five 
stamps, the repetition of which gives this complex pattern. In the other 
design only three simple stamps are used. 




































Plate X.] 


[ Useful Arts and Handicrafts , ‘No. 2. 




Two designs, with borders. 























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































13 


weaken the apex of the cone in folding. The fold at the apex 
should be well defined, but there should be no unnecessary han¬ 
dling of the paper. It is well to pour as little as possible of the 
dregs on the filter until close upon the end of the operation, when 
the dregs may be poured on and allowed to drain. 

For a coarser filtration or straining, a textile material is often 
used. For example, the jelly-straining cone shown by Fig. 4 is 



Fig. 4. 


convenient ; but these cones are expensive, and a cheap substitute 
for the coarser straining is a square of calico folded as for the paper 
filter, gathered in a little at the mouth and supported by such a 
stool as is shown by Fig. 4. A few carpet tacks hold the cloth in 
position, and the pendant part takes a bag-like shape as shown. 


t 


37 










TRUE OR MORDANT DYEING. 


Although the title of the present book includes dyes, it is in no 
sense to be considered as a handbook of the very complex opera¬ 
tions incident to mordant dyeing or true dyeing, a process in 
which certain chemicals called mordants, applied to a textile fabric, 
absorb the color from a dye bath, and lock it firmly to the fabric. 
Moreover, several different mordants (all practically colorless) may 
be printed upon the same piece of cloth, each mordant giving a 
different color in the dye bath. Mordant dyeing is an ancient art, 
having been practiced by the Egyptians, whose mode of working 
is briefly described by Pliny (about 50 A. D.) in a passage of his 
Natural History (xxxv. ii.) commencing “Pingunt et vestes in 
ALgypt°," and his passage may be translated as follows : “In 
Egypt, textiles are colored in a strange way. When in their origi¬ 
nal white condition they impregnate them, not with the dye, but 
with drugs which have the power of absorbing color ; this causing 
no change in the appearance ; but when they are steeped in a bath 
of the prepared dye they are taken out properly colored ; the 
remarkable fact being that although the bath contains but one 
color, several colors are imparted according to the nature of the 
drugs first used.” 

The following experimeiit in true or mordant dyeing will serve 
to show its wide range of applicability in producing patterns on 
textiles. With three stamps or types cut out of cork, impress a 
pattern on a piece of well-washed calico with the following mor¬ 
dants : (1) common alum y ounce, acetate of soda y ounce, 
gum y 2 ounce, water 2 y 2 ounces ; (2) as above, but y ounce of 
chrome alum in place of the common alum ; (3) as above, but 
about tV of an ounce (division of y ounce into four apparently 

38 


15 


equal parts is quite near enough) of perchloride of iron in place of 
the chrome alum. Any required patterns or devices having been 
stamped upon the calico with these mordants, the piece is stretched 
out in a damp place and allowed to remain for a week or two, 
when it is boiled in a dye bath containing 30 grains of artificial 
alizarine to each pint of water. Those parts mordanted with No. 

1 will slowly become bright red ; those parts mordanted with No. 

2 will take a deep brownish-red tone, and No. 3 mordant will give 
a purple color. The general ground of the stuff will appear red¬ 
dish at this stage, but boiling with soap and water will remove all 
color except where fixed by a mordant. In a simple form like the 
above, mordant printing is within the range of home industries, 
and flags or dress materials may be impressed with devices abso¬ 
lutely fast against washing or exposure to light. 

DISCHARGE PRINTING. 

Discharge printing is a method of working by which a dyed 
material is whitened or bleached in certain places where a chemical 
is printed on, and as an illustration of this method we may instance 
the discharge of the color on turkey-red calico, whereby white 
letters can be printed on a permanent red ground. Turkey-red is 
a madder (or alizarine) color on calico, the mordant being alum ; 
and it is the most absolutely permanent of red dyes. For perhaps 
two thousand years, no means have been known of discharging or 
bleaching a red of this character ; and if we assume (reasonably, 
as we may) the “scarlet” spoken of by Isaiah (about 760 B. C.) 
to be a permanent mordanted red of this character, a red which no 
one of that day knew how to discharge, it is easy to realize the 
significance of the figure of speech, “ though thy sins be as scarlet, 
they shall be white as snow.” 


39 


The Chemistry of the last century has given us chlorine, which 
will bleach out the old indelible red. For discharge printing on 
turkey-red cloth, the first thing is to wash with soap and hot water 
to remove traces of fatty matter used in dressing, after which the 
letters or devices should be stamped on the red calico with cork 
stamps charged with the following : tartaric acid i ounce, water i 
ounce, gum 40 grains. The printed material is allowed to dry 



Fig. 5. 

slowly, when the cloth is immersed in a flat pan containing chloride 
of lime and water in the proportion of one pound of the former to 
one gallon of the latter. These materials should be well stirred 
together, and the cloth should lie rather open in the bleaching 
bath, and be kept in gentle motion until the device is bleached out. 
Repeated thorough washings in water are essential, and a final 
boiling out in soap and water is desirable. For making inscrip- " 
40 




Plate XI.] 


[ Useful Arts and Handicrafts , No. 2. 



Two designs, with borders. 


































































































17 


tions or devices in white on a red ground the above method is 
admirable, especially for flags or banners which may have to be 

« 

exposed to bright light. 

Stamps for Discharge Printing or Mordanting may be cut with 
a sharp knife out of cork ; the coarse thick cork sold as bath cork 
serving for the larger letters. A very few rudimentary parts will 
serve for stamping plain block letters, as will be evident from Fig. 
5, which shows an alphabet followed by a synopsis of parts with 
which not only the whole may be built up, but also many patterns 
and borders. Fewer parts will serve if very slight modifications 
of the latter are allowed. Guide line should be stitched into the 
calico with thread. The discharge mixture may also be applied 
with a brush ; a small hog’s-hair brush with the hairs cut short, and 
worked end on like a stamp, being a convenient form. 

DYEING SILK OR WOOL MATERIALS WITH ANILINE COLORS. 

Soluble aniline colors for this purpose are now sold in packages 
at a low price. In using these the main thing to be attended to is 
to dye slowly and with much working and kneading, and for this 
reason the solution of the dye — best in warm water — should be 
very weak. In most cases a little soap added to the water facili¬ 
tates the working. 


■ VARNISHES. 

A varnish is ordinarily a solution of a covering substance in a 
volatile liquid, and when the varnish is used the volatile portion 
dries off, leaving the covering substance. The “drying” oils 
are, however, true varnishes of a somewhat different character, as 
they indurate by absorption of oxygen from the air and not by the 


4i 


18 


evaporation of a volatile constituent. The best and toughest 
varnishes are those which contain both a resinous substance 
which is deposited, and a drying oil which indurates. These are 
commonly called oil varnishes, and are sometimes spoken of as 
true varnishes. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AS TO VARNISHING. 

In the case of wood the pores must ordinarily be filled in with 
size as already described (page 11), and the same must be done with 
paper, plaster of paris, and most other porous materials. Speak¬ 
ing generally, varnishing can only be done satisfactorily on an 
impervious or non-absorbent surface. Varnishes are applied in 
various ways, as by brushing, dipping, pouring on, spraying, or 
by rubbing on with a saturated pad, but the chief point to be 
attended to in most cases is to give many thin coats of varnish 
rather than one thick coat. When a brush is used it is generally 
best to use one in which each hair sets or springs to a definite 
position, and for straightforward work a flat brush is generally 
convenient. Little and often on the brush is a good general 
rule, an obvious way of taking up little being to strike off the 
excess on the side of the containing vessel. Each coating with 
the brush should be so thin as not to run into ridges or tears, 
yet just thick enough for the brush lines to flow into each other. 
Most of that stated above is subject to exceptions, but excep¬ 
tions and special cases are best considered under the respective 
varnishes. French polishing, for example, is a method of varnish¬ 
ing standing quite by itself, and is described after instructions have 
been given for preparing that varnish known as French polish. 
All varnishing should be done in .a room which is dry and rather 
warm than cold. 


42 


19 


In preparing those varnishes in which alcohol is the solvent, 
the macerating bottle is generally useful, and a few pieces of broken 
glass assist in mixing the materials. Absolute alcohol is very 
much better than the somewhat weaker wood alcohol, as varnish 
prepared with the former has less tendency to become cloudy or 
chill if applied in a damp place ; but only few persons will be pre¬ 
pared to incur the expense of using absolute alcohol. Varnishes 
may be made with more or less solvent than recommended to suit 
different styles of working. 

No. i. Medium Hard Varnish , for Labels , Maps , Engravings , 
or Wooden Articles. — This is one of the most useful varnishes for 
the general purposes of the amateur mechanic and decorator. 
Sandarac 4 ounces, mastic 1 y 2 ounce, Copaiba balsam 1 y 2 ounce, 
oil of turpentine 1 ounce. Strongest alcohol (absolute if practic¬ 
able, but ordinary wood alcohol will serve) 10 fluid ounces. 
These materials are put in the macerating bottle, together with a 
few pieces of broken glass, and when nothing more dissolves the 
clear varnish is poured off. Labels, maps or engravings to be 
varnished must first be sized with a warm solution of one part of 
clear white gelatin in eight of water. They should be quite dry 
when the varnish is applied. This and other varnishes, if to be 
applied by means of the spray bottle, must be diluted ; this varnish 
with rather more than its own volume of alcohol (or wood alcohol, 
as the case may be). 

No. 2. Softer and Cheaper Varnish , for Maps , etc. — Canada 
balsam one part, oil of turpentine two parts. Sticky, and not very 
satisfactory. 

No. 3. A Still Cheaper and Less Satisfactory Varnish. — Pale 
colophony (common resin) 4 to 5 pounds, oil of turpentine 7 
pounds. A very poor varnish, but occasionally useful for out- 


43 


20 


door woodwork. Use macerating bottle and broken glass ; see 
No. i. 

No. 4. Bright Soft Varnish as Used for Tops. — Sandarac 
ounces, alcohol or wood alcohol 8 fluid ounces. If the articles to 
be varnished are quite dry and the work-place is warm, this varnish 
gives a very brilliant surface, but soft and easily scratched. 
Wooden articles for finishing with this varnish are usually painted 
with water colors. The varnish may be somewhat toughened by 
using y 2 ounce of soft elemi in place of the same weight of san¬ 
darac. In making this varnish use macerating bottle and broken 
glass. 

No. 5. White Hard Varnish .— Bleached shellac (which must 
be fresh and of good quality) 8 ounces, sandarac 2 ounces, soft 
white elemi x / 2 ounce, absolute alcohol or wood alcohol 2^ pints 
(40 ounces). This is a very useful varnish for light wood, but 
should be used in a warm room. 

No. 6.— Brown Hard Varnish. — As No. 5, but with light or 
dark shellac in place of the bleached shellac. As shellac is always 
somewhat injured in bleaching, this varnish has better working 
qualities than No. 5. If light orange shellac is used the color is 
but faint, and the darker lacs give a range of deeper tints. 
Dragon’s-blood may be added to further deepen the tint. 

No. 7. Shellac Enamels and Scaling Wax Varnish. — Sealing 
wax of any color is broken in pieces and put in the macerating 
bottle with rather more than enough absolute alcohol or wood 
alcohol to cover it. If not made from ready prepared sealing wax, 
shellac 4 ounces, Burgundy pitch 1 ounce, pigment 2 to 3 ounces. 
The pigment may be ultramarine, vermilion, chrome yellow, lamp¬ 
black, burnt sienna, white lead, bronze powder, or indeed almost 
any mineral pigment. When a very light pigment is used a light- 


44 


r 

P 


21 


colored, or even bleached, shellac should be employed ; but this 
latter must be of good quality, and fresh. Lac enamels are best 
made in the macerating bottle, and plenty of broken glass should 
be used. A violent agitation every now and again is useful in 
breaking down the pigment. 

No. 8. A Reviving Varnish for Leather and Book-Bindings .— 
Gum benzoin i 1 /? ounces, wood alcohol, 20 ounces; dissolve in the 
macerating bottle and filter through paper. 

No. 9. Varnish for Photographic Negatives. — (a) White hard 
varnish No. 5, 1 ounce; wood alcohol, 2 ounces. The negative is 
warmed, the varnish is flowed over it, and after draining, the var¬ 
nish is dried off before a fire or over a lamp. (^) Amber and 
chloroform varnish; amber, 4 grains; chloroform, 1 ounce; mac¬ 
erate and filter. Flowed over the negative (cold), and the excess 
drained off. 


FRENCH POLISH AND HOW TO USE IT. 

French Polish is essentially a shellac in spirit varnish similar to 
No. 6, but ordinarily somewhat more dilute. No. 5 diluted with 
from half its bulk to equal volumes of wood alcohol will be a very 
good French polish, but a French polish containing benzoin is some¬ 
what easier to use and gives greater brilliancy. We recommend 
the following : Shellac 3 ounces, benzoin 3 ounces, boiled linseed 
oil % ounce, wood alcohol 2^/2 pints. Dissolve in the macerating 
bottle (page 3) and filter through paper. The spirit used may be 
colored beforehand by soaking turmeric (yellow) in it; or dragon’s- 
blood (deep red) may be added to the materials in the macerating 
bottle. 

Preparing the Wood. — Wood for French polishing is ordinarily 
not sized. It is brought to a high finish with fine glass-paper, and 


45 


22 


previously to the final glass-papering the grain and small cavities 
are filled in with plaster of paris and water, or whiting and boiled 
linseed oil. When the filling is quite hard, a glass-paper finish is 
given. The rubber with which the polish is now applied is made 
by rolling up a piece of flannel about three inches square so as to 
form a ball. This is saturated with the polish, and is then covered 
with a square of muslin; the edges of this being gathered by the 
fingers, and the rubber is so held as to present a convex surface to 
the work. A trace of linseed oil having been applied to the pad 
(already saturated with polish) the pad is worked over the wood 
with light circular strokes, so planned as to range all over the sur¬ 
face of the article, or of a determined area. The rubber being 
kept charged with polish, and a drop of oil being occasionally 
applied to the face of the rubber, the above process is repeated 
until the surface of the wood is uniformly hardened or filled in with 
the polish, when a few hours’ drying is desirable, followed by 
another application of the finest glass-paper. The polishing is 
then resumed, and this series of operations is repeated until a suffi¬ 
cient coating of resinous matter is deposited on the wood. The 
final luster is given by the process of spiriting off. A fresh rubber 
is slightly charged with spirit, and is applied to the work with very 
light circular strokes, and finally with straight sweeps in the direc¬ 
tion of the grain; this treatment being continued until the rubber 
is quite dry. 

LACQUER FOR METAL, AND HOW TO LACQUER. 

A lacquer for brass or other metal is a thin spirit varnish (see 
also No. 12 celluloid varnish), generally colored with dragon’s- 
blood, saffron, annatto, gamboge or red sanderswood. There is 
no occasion whatever to give a number of recipes, as one will serve 
46 


23 


all purposes if the conditions for varying it are indicated. Orange 
shellac, 3 ounces; wood alcohol, 20 ounces. Dissolve in the 
macerating bottle. This will ordinarily be too pale for brass, 
although very suitable for gun metal or copper. To color it, from 
20 to 40 grains of any one of the above-mentioned coloring mate¬ 
rials may be soaked in each ounce of the lacquer; 30 grains of tur¬ 
meric and 5 grains of saffron to each ounce of the plain lacquer 
giving a very suitable color for brass. The best way of applying 
the lacquer to brasswork is to warm the carefully cleaned and pol¬ 
ished brass before a kitchen fire, and after having allowed it to cool 
to about the temperature of the room, the lacquer is applied with 
long sweeping strokes of a camel’s-hair varnish brush, after which 
the work is placed in the oven to dry or is held before the fire. 
Lathework made slightly warm by the friction of the final cleaning 
is allowed a little time to cool down, when the lacquer is applied 
while the lathe is slowly turned. The lacquer is then dried off as 
above described. The process above described is known as cold 
lacquering. Hot lacquering is done by applying the lacquer to the 
metal object heated to about the temperature at which it becomes 
uncomfortable to handle. Drying in this case is almost instan¬ 
taneous. 

No. 12. Celluloid Varnish .— Celluloid, 1 ounce; amyl acetate, 6 
ounces. A tough varnish suitable for almost any purpose. If made 
up with double the above-mentioned quantity of amyl acetate, it 
makes a good varnish for photographic negatives, and also a good 
colorless lacquer for protecting metals from corrosion. It is merely 
necessary to brush it on the metal; no heat being required. 

No. 13. True or Oil Varnish .— Few will care to make varnishes 
of this character on a small scale, and one example of a varnish of 
this kind will be sufficient; the copal varnish made as follows being 


47 


24 


as suitable for fine woodwork as for use on oil paintings. A small 
copper pot holding about 5 pints is set up over a Bunsen gas 
burner, in a yard or outhouse where a blaze-up of the contents can 
do no great harm. In this pot, fuse half a pound of clear white 
gum copal, stirring well with a copper stirrer till the copal is thor¬ 
oughly melted; now slowly add, and stir in 20 ounces of good 
boiled linseed oil, maintaining the heat until oil and copal are 
thoroughly incorporated. Turn out the gas and stir in 2 pints of 
oil of turpentine. When cold, the varnish is ready for use. 


48 


Plate XII.] 


[ Useful Arts and Handicrafts, No. 2. 



Two designs, with borders. 









































































' 














































































































Church Decoration. W. T. Whitehead. 

First Steps in Painting and Coloring Engravings. Leland and Wall. 
Pastel or Crayon Drawing, and Crayon Making. Leland and Wall. 
Pressure Painting, Stamp-sketching, etc. C. G. Leland. 

Gesso Painting and Grecian Painting. C. G. Leland. 
Smoke-painting. Leland and Wall. 

Nature-printing ; Leaves, Ferns, etc., applied to decorating by the 
printing-ink, spatter-work, and photographic methods. Leland 
and Holtzapffel. 

Sign-writing and Lettering. Leland and Dawson. 

Modeling in Clay or Wax. Leland and Lambert. 

Home Decoration, with a View to Economy. Leland and Lambert. 
Furniture. To Make and Repair. Leland and Bolas. 
Book-shelves and Arrangement of Books. A. H. Wall. 

Bellows, Fans, and Hand Screens. To Make and Decorate. C. G. 
Leland. 

Door Mats and Rugs. Cheap but handsome. C. G. Leland. 
Lamp Shades and Lanterns. C. G. Leland. 

Clothes and Woven Stuffs. To Repair. C. G. Leland. 

Simple Hand-weaving. Leland and Snowden Ward. 

Woven F'abrics, To Clean and Dust. C. G. Leland. 

Tappa Printing on Fabrics. C. G. Leland. 

Tapestry and Tambourine Painting. C. G. Leland. 

Imitation Applique and Embroidery. C. G. Leland. 

Velvet Work, Satin Glazing, etc. C. G. Leland. 

Shoes, To Repair and to Decorate. C. G. Leland. 

Picture Restoring and Cleaning. Leland and Wall. 

Bookbinding; and the Repair of Documents, etc. Leland and Wall. 
Illuminating Books and MSS. Leland and Dawson. 
Basket-making. Reed, Grass, and Willowwork. C. G. Leland. 

Paper Work. Indented Work; papier crepe, paper reliefs, carton- 
nage, etc. C. G. Leland. 

Paper on Fabrics, Wood on Paper. C. G. Leland. 

Papier-Mache, and Modeling in Paper. C. G. Leland. 


in 


Leather Work. C. G. Leland. 

China Painting. C. G. Leland. 

Repairing China, Glass, etc. C. G. Leland. 

Water-glass Decoration. Leland and Bolas. 

Steatite or Soapstone Carving. Leland and Bolas. 

Etching on China, Glass, etc. Glass Embossing. Leland and 
Whitehead. 

Sand-blast Decoration. ]. J. Holtzapffel. 

Mosaic Work and Enamels. C. G Leland. 

Stained and Leaded Glass. W. T. Whitehead. 

Glass Mosaic. Thomas Bolas. 

Gems, Flints, and Other Stones. To Cut, Polish, etc. Leland and 
Bolas. 

Pebble-work ; and Gravel in Decoration. C. G. Leland. 

Silver Ornaments and Wire Jewelry. C. G. Leland. 

Rustic Jewelry. From fruit-stones, oyster-shells, etc. C. G. 
Leland. 

Egg-shells in Decoration. C. G. Leland. 

Rustic Arts. The use of bark, moss, and lichen ; rose leaves and 
faded flowers ; orange peel, etc., in the decorative arts. C. G. 
Leland. 

Straw, Cork, and Sponge in Decoration. C. G. Leland. 

Bead and Shell Work. Wampum ; Engraved Shells, etc. C. G. 
Leland. 

Bones and Horns ; and Their Decorative Treatment. C. G. Leland. 
Amber and Imitation Amber. Pipe-bowls, etc. C. G. Leland. 
Cameos, Coral, and Ivory. To Repair and to Imitate. C. G. Leland. 
Encaustic Painting. Rice and Lime Work. Cardboard as sub¬ 
stantial as wood. C. G. Leland. 

Horseshoes, Wooden Spoons, Egg-shells, Terra-cotta Ware, etc., 
in decoration. C. G. Leland. 

Sachets, Scent-bags. To design, make, and fill. C. G. Leland. 
Emballage, or the Packing of Trunks, etc. By C. G. Leland. 
Fruit Decorating and Molding. Walking-stick Training, etc. 
Leland and Snowden Ward. 

Plaster Casting ; Mixed Plasters, Scagliola, etc. Leland and Bolas. 
Microscopes and Telescopes. Home-made, but effective. John 
Mills, F.R.M.S. 

Kaleidoscopes and Spectroscopes. Home-made. Leland and Mills. 


IV 


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A 

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By F. DUNDAS TODD. 


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